My $160.00 Pawnshop Score (Ruger MK I Target)

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rantingredneck

New member
Posted this at Rugerforum.net and CSF last Friday, but thought I'd share it with the TFL crowd as well.

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Other than having bluing wear consistent with it's age and some use (and being filthy!!), it appears in great shape. Had some surface rust but no pitting. Surface rust cleaned up well. A bit of a patina on front and backstrap. Excellent bore. Only one 9 round mag and no box or docs.

Have some mags on order for it from Midway.

Serial number puts it at a 1980 production date.

Got around to shooting it yesterday and this was the result:


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Numbered 1-5:

1) Warm up target. 27 rounds (three 9 round mags) fired two hand unsupported at 10 yds. Using a hold on the bullseye of the shoot-n-c.

2) Transitioned to a 6 o'clock hold on the bottom of the shoot-n-c 9 rounds unsupported at 10 yds.

3) Moved out to 25 yds. 7 out of 9 clustered in and around the shoot-n-c. 2 rounds near top of plate.

4) Back to 10 yds. slowing down and refining my aim a bit. I tend to shoot fast even when trying slowfire. I tend to fall into a rhythm of around 1 round per second and it's hard for me to shoot any slower.

5) Still at 10 yds. kinda got it dialed in here.

I was shooting Federal 550 bulk ammo from wally world. Not target ammo by any means but it did well. No failures.

I'm tickled with this gun!

I only had about 45 mins of shooting time at the range yesterday. Our church's VBS started yesterday and my wife and I teach the 3 yo-K class and I had to get back home in time. Hope to have more shooting time with this gun this weekend or next.
 
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Tuzo

New member
Pawn shops can sometimes hide treasure

At my favorite pawn/gun I paid a couple of dollars more for my Mk II Ruger target with a bull barrel. About the same condition of wear as yours.

These pistols shoot very well. An added plus for a used one is ease of field stripping for cleaning. As most Ruger Mark owners know, the disassembly mechanism is a bit stiff when new.

Have fun shooting your Ruger.
 
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44 AMP

Staff
I have one of those. I much prefer it to the bull barrel version. Got mine in the early 80s, before the Mk IIs came out, and haven't found a need to "upgrade" even after all these years.

An added plus for a used one is ease of field stripping for cleaning. As most Ruger Mark owners know, the disassembly mechanism is a bit stiff when new.
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While its true that they do get a little easier to take apart if it is done enough, my advice is don't. There's no need. You can shoot the heck out of it for decades without having to field strip the gun. You can clean everything that needs cleaning without taking it apart, and Ruger Mk Is are notoriously tricky to put back together. Not difficult, once you learn the trick, but its not obvious. And don't ever take it apart further than fieldstripping, unless you want to pay a professional to put it back together! (or you have one who will do it for free :rolleyes:)

.22 Sport pistols like the Ruger are neither designed nor intended to be field stripped for routine cleaning. They are not made to do it simply, unlike military style service autos.

Now, if the gun gets dropped in the water, or something like that, do what you have to. But just for cleaning after shooting? , no need. Spray cleaners and lubes are wonderful things.

A personal story, my wife convinced me to allow our son-in-law to borrow the gun. He was specifically told, by her, not to take it apart. She had watched me struggle with it once (and she has seen me handle lots of guns without nearly such trouble). Of course, our son-in-law, being so much smarter than we are, didn't follow the advice, as we found out later.

After a couple months, started asking daughter about when he would be done with the pistol. She stalled. Repeatedly.

6 months later, after increased prodding, she sheepishly returned the gun, in pieces, in a grocery bag, and apologized, profusely. He didn't have the stones to bring it back himself, and admit that just maybe my 35+years around firearms (at the time) might have given me some insight his 27 years on earth might have missed. Daughter was terribly embarrassed, and gave many "you were right Dad"s with eyes downcast.

No doubt, someone else will post that they are a snap to take down and put back together, and they are, IF you know what you are doing. If you don't, best not to have to learn the hard way.

Fine guns, very accurate, yours will give a lifetime of good shooting, if not abused. Mine has, so far,and I expect eventually will be passed along, still in fine working condition, but NOT to that son-in-law!:barf:
 
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zombieslayer

New member
I got a similar deal on a MkII Target 10". My most accurate handgun. They're awesome. At least around here, people seem to mostly be buying CCW stuff and Hi-Capacity guns. I have gotten SICK pawnshop deals lately. Most recently it was a pair of like-new, matching Kimber Ultra Stainless 1911's for $1200. Even came with some extras. Your MkI should provide years and years of reliable service. Have fun, good purchase.
 
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lee n. field

New member
Have some mags on order for it from Midway.

Serial number puts it at a 1980 production date.
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Which is late, almost to the point where the Mark II was introduced.

I think (InterWebz Gunboard Hearsay, YMMV) you can use Mark II magazines in the later Mark 1, if you reverse the metal tab that holds the magazine follower in place. 2 minute job.

Good find.

Xavier on Ruger .22 autos.

A couple years back I picked up a neglected Mark II Target that looks an awful lot like yours, for $25 and a trade fodder Makarov (that cost me $100). Fine shooter.
 
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rantingredneck

New member
No doubt, someone else will post that they are a snap to take down and put back together, and they are, IF you know what you are doing. If you don't, best not to have to learn the hard way.
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Already learned that lesson the hard way. My second attempt at fieldstripping my first MKIII and I locked it up tight. Had to whack the muzzle on the carpeted floor to get the hammer back in the right position to disassemble it. I've owned a couple of MKIII's and now have a 22/45 (pre-MKIII version) and this MK I. I go slow now and make sure everything is in the proper position to reassemble. Much easier on the MKI and MK II actions than the MKIII.

I actually detail stripped this one to clean it the other night. Down to removing the sear, hammer, safety and stripping the bolt assembly down. After a half hour of holding my mouth right and some properly applied foul language I got the hammer and sear reinstalled correctly.

The previous owner of this pistol, I believe, had never disassembled it. It was quite honestly filthy. Even after a spray out with gun scrubber it needed extra attention. Won't have to do it again though for quite some time I'm sure.
 
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Stevie-Ray

New member
I've got the standard version of that gun; it was my first pistol, bought in 1979. And the 4 inch version was the first pistol I've ever fired, several years earlier. I loved the RST-6 enough to by a Mark II stainless bull bbl version in the eighties. These are still 2 that I cherish and keep pristine, though they have thousands of rounds through them.
 
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rantingredneck

New member
lee n. field said:
I think (InterWebz Gunboard Hearsay, YMMV) you can use Mark II magazines in the later Mark 1, if you reverse the metal tab that holds the magazine follower in place. 2 minute job.
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Lee,

My understanding is that with the later MKI's with the "A100" marked gripframe (which this one has), you can use the MKII mags unconverted. It's with the early MKI's that you have to swap the tab around. Again, that's what I've heard on Interwebz Gunboard Hearsay. I have no experience with Pre- MKII guns until owning this one.

Either way, swapped tab or unswapped tab, I have 2 10 round MKII mags on the way. Should be here Friday and I'll know first hand :).

RR
 
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44 AMP

Staff
very early Mlk Is, the ones with the red "eagle" grips have the magazine button on the opposite side from the later ones (Black eagle grips). Not sure when they made the change to the mags. Some Ruger guru could probably tell you. I do know the change to the color of the logo (from red to black) was due to the death of Mr Sturm, Bill Ruger's partner in the early days.
 
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rantingredneck

New member
Well,

Interwebz Gunboard Hearsay has borne out.

I got my 2 MK II mags in the mail from Midway yesterday. They fit perfectly in the gun as is. No swapping of the thumb tab required. I'll test them out at the range but I see no reason that they shouldn't work.

I also replaced the grip screws with some hex head Hogue brand screws while I was ordering from Midway. The stock screws were a little buggered up and rusty. Looks nicer now.
 
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Stevie-Ray

New member
My understanding is that with the later MKI's with the "A100" marked gripframe (which this one has), you can use the MKII mags unconverted.
I got my 2 MK II mags in the mail from Midway yesterday. They fit perfectly in the gun as is. No swapping of the thumb tab required. I'll test them out at the range but I see no reason that they shouldn't work.
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They'll work. You are correct about the A-100 as my RST-6 has the marking and I've used MKII mags for years without issue.
 
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